A few days ago, some Republican senators attempted to lay the groundwork for a shooting war with Russia. I wish I were exaggerating. The unanimous consent vote never happened because Senator Rand Paul single-handedly prevented it.

Members of the House and the Senate attempted to pack hundreds of special spending provisions into at least 10 bills in the summer and fall, less than a year after congressional leaders declared a moratorium on earmarks, congressional records show.

The Committee merely needs to cut about $120 billion annually from the federal budget over the next 10 years, but even this paltry amount produced hand-wringing and hysteria on Capitol Hill. And this is ONLY cutting PROPOSED increases.

The legislators are using the supercommittee to avoid what would be a more public, election-year debate in 2012, when the current farm bill expires and new legislation would be scheduled for writing, according to critics of the effort.

US lawmakers introduced a bill on Wednesday that would give US authorities more tools to crack down on websites accused of piracy of movies, television shows and music and the sale of counterfeit goods.

At age 55, South Carolina state Sen. David Thomas began collecting a pension for his legislative service without leaving office. Most workers must retire from their jobs before getting retirement benefits. But Thomas used a one-sentence law that he a

Police who originally arrested the state representative last week for driving with a suspended license discovered he had an outstanding warrant for missing a court appearance in connection with a 2008 police car chase in Massachusetts.
Gordon, 42,

In January 2009, the administration claimed that if Congress passed a rush stimulus bill, the United States would be saved from economic catastrophe that was threatening to send unemployment figures above 8 percent.

The US Senate approved $6.9 billion in disaster relief funds over a yearlong period by a 62-37 vote, for the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help communities cope with natural disasters such as Hurricane Irene, which

AB 750, California's bill to study the feasibility of establishing a state-owned bank that would receive deposits of state funds, has passed both houses of the legislature and is now on the desk of Governor Jerry Brown awaiting his signature.

Schakowsky said that Americans don't deserve to keep all of their money because we need taxes to support our society.
“I’ll put it this way. You don’t deserve to keep all of it and it’s not a question of deserving because what government is, is th

The U.S. Senate, in an unusual procedure, cleared the way Thursday for the U.S. to lift its borrowing authority by $500 billion to $15.19 trillion, enough to keep the support federal government borrowing through late January or early February.
The

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — An effort to allow only reusable bags at Los Angeles grocery stores may sound like a political long-shot, but one city councilman thinks the public will eventually warm up to the initiative. (Yes to Hemp?)

Like many federal contractors, General Electric has a lot riding on the work of a new congressional “supercommittee,” which will help decide whether to impose massive cuts in defense and health-care spending.
But the Connecticut-based conglomerate

Hoping to prevent an embarrassing Youtube video from making the rounds, Republican Congressman Steve Chabot of Ohio ordered police to confiscate cameras from people attending a town hall meeting Monday night.
The result was two embarrassing Youtub

“This is what we need to return to: re-regulate the corporations and say, ‘Sorry, you are not people, corporations. You do not have First Amendment rights of free speech. Get out of our political lives and our political world.’

The Super Congress may turn into an early Christmas present for the well-heeled lobbyists of K Street. The commission presents a huge opportunity for lobbying firms to sneak their client's pet projects and issues into whatever legislation is created

This week, both the Los Angeles Times and The Nation put the spotlight on a little-known but influential conservative nonprofit that creates "model" state legislation that often make its way into law. The organization has helped craft some of the mos

Have you heard about "The Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act of 2011?" It's the latest in a long line of just terrible bills proposed to calm (though never quite eliminate) the fears of what that scary Internet might do to Our Childr

"Caylee's Law" is a new proposal is gathering signatures across the country. AP reports that at least 16 state legislatures are now considering some version of this law. Will Caylee's law really save any children's lives, or punish irresponsible pare

An article about a state senator who aimed her loaded handgun at a reporter's chest in the course of an interview about gun laws has sparked national attention and highlighted debate about gun safety. Sen. Lori Klein, R-Anthem, trained the laser sigh

It is the sense of the Senate that any agreement to reduce the budget deficit should require that those earning $1,000,000 or more per year make a more meaningful contribution to the deficit reduction effort.

After failing the roadside sobriety test, a blood test showed the lawmaker had a .097 blood-alcohol level and traces of Viagra in his system. The 59-year-old married father of 3 also refused to explain why he had a 26-year-old female stripper in the

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's (R-VA) latest financial disclosure statement indicates that he owns up to $15,000 of ProShares Trust Ultrashort 20+ Year Treasury EFT, a fund that will likely skyrocket as U.S. debt becomes less desirable.

Defiant and combative no longer, New York Rep. Anthony Weiner soberly announced his resignation from Congress on Thursday, bowing to the furor caused by his sexually charged online dalliances with a former porn actress and other women.

Sources tell The Associated Press that embattled Rep. Anthony Weiner is telling associates he will resign amid the furor over his sexually charged online relationships with several women.
The married seven-term New York Democrat's resignation woul

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) saw her net worth rise 62 percent last year, cementing her status as one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
Pelosi was worth at least $35.2 million in the 2010 calendar year, according to a financi